Mr. Payne is a member of the Belmont Hill Class of 2018. During his time as a student at Belmont Hill, he participated in the theater and B Flats, as well as winning a Woodbury Speaking Contest along the way. He graduated from Tufts University in 2022 with a major in sociology. Over the summer, he taught at Phillips Andover Academy. As a new teacher this year, Mr. Payne taught a section of English 1 and a section of English 3. He was also part of the fall and winter plays and coached Third Tennis in the spring. Using one word to describe his entire year here, Mr. Payne chose “growth”. His favorite part about teaching this year was that he could connect with students in a different way due to his role as a teacher. Every Monday, he would engage with his students through an activity called “Rose Bud Thorn.” Each student had an opportunity to share one good thing, one bad thing, and one thing they were looking forward to during the week. Now, Mr. Payne is moving on to the Shady Hill School in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He describes his time at Belmont Hill as “a good professional experience being able to work with my old teachers in a different way and for them to teach me in a different way.” His experiences at this school will have lasting impacts on the future of his career.
The Panel thanks Mr. Payne for his contributions last year and wishes him the best at his next job.
